Tech updates and reviews you won't find any where else..........and random updates............probably should change the name........suggestions invited:)
Monday, May 24, 2010
MOMS new Icon
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Ubiquity
Ubiquity is the coolest firefox plugin yet. It allows you to give commands to firefox in normal english to look for directions, update twitter, insert maps in mails and much much more.
I also wrote a small plugin for ubiquity which allows you to look up words at Definr.com, my favorite dictionary site. You can get it here: http://gist.github.com/217297
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Bangalore get away
One fine Saturday morning after a sleep less night I was wondering what to do over the week end. I was walking around in my apartment and saw Celebrating Silence lying on the shelf. Within a fraction of a second I knew I was going to Bangalore. I called up Bhaskar, found out that Guruji was in town, packed my bag in 5 mins and rushed to the airport.
4hrs later the cool invigorating breeze was telling me I was in Bangalore.On my way to Guru Bhaiya's place I managed to stop at an Apple store, exchange a few tips with the specialist and buy a sports strap for my iPhone.
Its always a euphoric experience to be at Guru Bhiaya's place. The whole environment in the house is very satvik and beaming with energy. Guru bhaiya is always upto something new and exciting. We share a common passion for OOPS(object oriented programming) and Batman. He has combined his talent in music and computer programming and invented things unheard of in the music industry. Aunty (Guru bhaiya's mom) makes great food, attends parties back to back and is always in a fun mood. Archna di has also has a keen interest in music and loves photography. Nothing can stop her if she has a camera in her hand.
Later that day I went to the Ashram (Art of Living Bangalore center which we loving call Ashram) and the next day again. I stood in a crowd, got elbowed a few times but it was a pleasure to see him (H H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar). He was as jovial as ever. The Teachers' training course had just finished and I got a change to meet some old friends cum new teachers. I felt very proud of them.
We celebrated Bhaskar's (the one in the orange kurta and with the icing on his face) birthday in the Ashram. The best butter scotch cake I ever had.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Come back.... Come back to where you once belonged
FacB (Faculty Building) roof top had become a regular wee hrs hangout spot.
The Mai Hu DON walk@ Landmark (From Left: Neharika, Priyesh(Chotu), Prachi)
FacB Roof Top 2am (From Left: Tulsi, Neha, me, Deep, Dhaval, Sandeep)
Ksh sporting the 'tora aur milega look'
Technology Park@Bangalore
Ksh wanted to click some pics and guess who volunteered to model :)
The dump from the airline entertainment system boot up
Another one from the FacB roof topThursday, April 30, 2009
Early Morning Cycle Ride
To prepare for the trip I borrowed my cycle back:), got it serviced and cleaned up and didn't sleep through out the night, probably the best techniques to make sure you are up early. Next step was to look up the place in google earth and get going. Cycling on bumpy, lumpy, rocky ground is my passion. I love to cycle fast on rough terrains and avoid getting thrown off it. After around half an hour of hunting I was able to locate it and it was worth the wait. The sunlight reflecting off the water looked magnificent.
I also ran into some huge birds that morning. They had deep red colored necks and were over 4.5 feet tall. This is the closest I could get to them without disturbing them. Pic from my iPhone.
PS: I voted :). If votes have still not been casted in your region, do go out and vote.Wednesday, April 8, 2009
It's April fool's day ...
Amidst loads of hassles and chaos due to uninformed visit of GM's top official, April fool's day fetched us many preys for entertainment, with Taru and Neha leading the row with Mr. and Ms. Popat award. The plan was incubated at the Hall 8 mess during lunch time while I was having food with Shubham. We had been thinking of some nice idea to play a prank on someone. When we were entering the mess I came across Ashwini Shukla. I had found my prey. Shubham suggested me to call Neha, and propose her. Since she didn't have my phone number so it should work out easily. I was little uncertain of the success of the plan... "proposing a girl ... although fake.. still first time in my life I was bound to stammer and fail." We even wrote a script for carrying out the entire series of events. Finally I gathered some courage and called her :
"Hello Neha... my name is Ashwini Shukla. I am a 4th year UG in the Mech Deptt and am planning to start my own firm and would like you to design the website for the same. I saw you a couple of times at CC canteen and got your no. from Rahul Verma. Could we meet at 6 in the CR."And fortunately she agreed in the first attempt.
Our evilness turned darker by the evening and we began making more wicked plans. We needed some girl who could fake Neha and call Ashwini to the CR. We approached Ruchira Ma'am and she agreed but 'Shubham didn't have the script ready by then'. Meanwhile Akanksha had arrived in the lab and gladly joined the gang. I confirmed Shukla's phone no. from Saket and called him from my mobile but he didn't pick the phone. While we were still planning what next... there was call on my phone from the same number. Akanksha picked up the phone. The plan was that she would say that she was a student from MNNIT who wanted to participate in Robocon and needed his guidance. She picked up the phone , "Hello , may I talk to Ashwini Shukla." On realizing that the voice on the other side was feminine she asked "Who is this?". "This is Neha. Is it Ashwini's phone number ?" I immediately realised that I had called up the last dialled number, that was Neha's and not Shukla's. What a popat were we making of ourselves; picking up Neha's call and a girl asking her for Shukla leaving no reason for her to trust us.
2-3 more attempts but Shukla didn't pick the phone. It was already 5 and we didn't have much time now. So we started thinking of some alternative target. But who could beat the mastermind Shubham who had already fooled 3 people in the meantime. He called up his Mom saying that he had finally found a girl and he wanted to introduce her to them at an upcoming family function at his uncle's. Surbhi was in the lab for a while and even she was not spared, "You know Vyas Sir has become the director of IIT Indore " :D He didn't stop at that. He wanted a double cross; when Ruchira Ma'am would call up Ashwini it should be someone else on the other side and she would herself be fooled.
We were browsing through our gtalk lists and came across Taru - the perfect choice. Akanksha made up a nice storyline , "Hello I am from Kanpur Institiute Of Technology. Our group is working on a solar heater project and Kadambi Sir wanted us to meet you. Could we meet at CR and could you share some of your notes and works". Poor Taru in his usual squeezing voice agreed to all her conditions (I could imagine him sitting on his chair and pressing the space bar for pausing the media player). It was 5.55 and we were planning to leave when Vyas Sir entered the lab saying, "Mr. Mangalgiri is in campus and would be here in 10 minutes." What the hell... we felt so cheated, while trying our best to somehow delay his visit but nothing seemed to work that day. Finally I somehow convinced Neha to come over to the CC canteen while Taru was still unreachable. While we were moving out to CC canteen Vyas Sir informed us that we would have to go and meet him in the VH itself so we were relaxed but it was little late as Neha might have already left. I again called her up and asked her to be at CR itself.
We moved towards the shop-C where Taru was sitting under the tree waiting for his lady. The sight was amazing. He had a big diary in his hand probably containing all his btp work to be sacrificed for a KIT girl. We went inside making him comfortable and at the same time pulling his leg. His usual stupid principles didn't take a break even here, "Yaar sabse buri baat ye hai ki log time dete hain aur late aate hain. Main 4 baar phone kar chuka huun but no kar de rahi hai." I was literally feeling sorry for him but could not stop recording all this conversation on my phone. "So, Taru whats her name," asked someone. "She didn't tell that and neither did I ask." And still this gentleman was waiting there well dressed up waiting to pour out all his knowledge. If only we had a little more time..... the story could have continued for some more time. I asked him to watch a video in the meantime which was nothing but the Akanksha's call video. He almost went dumb for a minute and then says, "Ab CR aa hi gaye hain to kuchh khila do." But we had to proceed to CC canteen to claim another treat. I called up Neha and this time some guy picks up the phone and spoke rather rudely as to who I was and why I was looking for her. I called on her cell back and assured that I am not fake and I was serious about the project to which she blindly agreed. While heading towards the lab a profile video was made on the Taru and the gang behind these activities. Shubham's description of his role in the story was worth noting, "Main sabse chaapu huun...saari achhi planning karta huun, tum log tel machate ho fir main usko wipe out karta huun".
Neha was waiting on a table behind the TMRS lab. Shubham jumped to ask her what was she doing there. "I was actually waiting for someone," with no clue to who the caller was and what was the name of the company she was making the website for. I tried to instigate some talks regarding Shukla but probably her enthusiasm about the first project of her life didn't let her stop.
Shubham :"So koi bhi ladka tumhe kahega ki kaam hai aa jao to chali jaogi".
Neha: "Mech mein main sab ladkon ko jaanti huun..ccc mein sabko dekha hai."
Shubham: "Rahul ko apna no. kyon diya?"
Akanksha :"Agar Vyas Sir peechhe se aa jayein to teeno ka jayega."
Praneeth who was waiting in the lab to hand me the bluetooth mobile for demo was already in the lab and was bugging me on the phone. So we decided to uncover the mystery fast. We once again showed her the call video and got our shares of abuses immediately.
Shubham: "Btw wo banda kaun tha jisne jhaada tha ?"
Neha : "To wo tum the jisne phone kiya tha... you dog .. agar maine pehle tumhari awaaz phone pe suni hoti to galti na karti ... arey wo to cross connection tha."
We apologised to the victims and proceeded for mission lab's mission now, when Neha snatched away Shubham's phone. Shukla after seeing my missed call, called back on my phone. Shubham not having switched to the work mode yet, cooked up a nice censored story to him on the phone.
Now it was Praneeth's turn who was walking with us towards the VH. He overheard our conversation regarding Neha making the company's website and got curious, "Which company which website... you registered your company or what". Why should we let him slip when he wants to drown himself. We cooked up a nice story that Shubham's Dad has loads of contacts and he has got us a company registered dealing in embedded systems. A website has also been registered for the same. "You didn't even inform me. What is this ? ...bla bla..bla", the whining continued till we had reached our destination.
The movie was yet not over and some anti-climax was still in store for us. We reached the VH at 6.45 only to realise that his room was locked. After waiting for 15 minutes I called up Sir and the much awaited typhoon was there. I tried to calm him down. Then we went to pick Dr. Mangalgiri from the "Artist in Residence" show. We brought him to the lab at 9 pm where our presentations lasted till 11.30 pm. Next morning we got the 2nd part of the blow from Sir when the single wheel test rig was not working. "3 din se bol rakha hai...ready kyn nahi hua. hasi mazaak chal raha tha kya !!" Somehow RSS and Ruchira Ma'am managed the situation and showed him some working VI.
A day full of pranks and an evening of nightmares.. deadly combination !!
via: http://kshdeo.blogspot.com
Go to Kshitz's blog for more fun stuff and happening of IIT Kanpur. There is a lot of untold and unheard stuff there.... shoking reveletions what the life at IIT is like.....
Chow
Shubham
Friday, March 6, 2009



Tuesday, January 20, 2009
What have I been up to
During Megabucks 09:
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Casual Updates....
A YES!+ course in campus. The course was a big hit and every one had so much fun. I remember something Bhaiya asked in one of the post course sessions which made me think a lot. We were eating Pani puri in Rave Moti when Ankur pointed out how magnificently the Pani Puri had been presented. Then he asked "Have you ever presented some thing so well?". I don’t remember the PJ that followed but you should have seen the course venue the next day. As the course participants were entering they were asking "Is there some special session today?" the venue was that clean.
Last week end I got to lay my hands on Pavan's Powerbook G4. Its always feels nice to finger around with vintage Apple stuff. Pavan would kill me if he reads this cause he sincerely believes that his G4 is faster than my intel duo and loves his machine. Ignorance is a bliss after all. Did I mention I accidentally erased his hard disk at 4 am in the morning, but then I remebered "There are no accidents in life"- Master Oogway
Dinner GangFrom the left: Some awesome dude, Deep, Zeba, Abhishek, Dheeraj, Siddharth and Rashmita
Row 2: Divya, Avani, Gauri, Vipul and Laxmikant
And the cherry on the icing is that google has has released video and voice chat and the best part, it all works on mac this time.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Update.......
Seems like day after day my life is becoming like an unstable reaction. A new adventure every day. Sometimes I have no clue where I am going or getting up and my bed does not seem to be happy with this erratic behavior as it does not get to spend quality time with my bum any more. Even the bees are finding new people to sting now, though I made it up to them this morning. I was standing in the balcony debating whether to sleep in my room or my lab, when one gracious little one decided to kick start my day. But sadly it didn't get any action from my side. I quietly stood while it stung me and then took the bus to another realm. Though I did get a chance to test another desi nuska (local recipe) for bee stings. I'll probably do another post on ways and places to get stung at and what to do next......:)
Today I am Lucknow. It's my dad's birthday and I decided to surprise him by coming here even thought it has been raining non stop for the past 2 days. I just love the rain. Every thing seems to be so clean and serene. Very few people are generally out and the smell......hmm.....only one word comes to mind....... intoxicating.
By the way my dad loved the surprise and he had a surprise of his own. He got a brand new, blazing fast, super slick, all aluminum body Macbook Pro 15". He unpacked it in front of me and boy you should have seen the look on his face. Later I gave him a demo of the new features and he really liked the multi touch gestures. For the first time a computer was getting his attention..... Lucky bastard. I think he will finally start checking his mails...:). I am now pretty sure that the "attention, intention & manifestation" technique that Guruji had taught us really works. Oh shit.....its 4 am......I think I should sleep now.....am at my home after all....will write more about the "attention, intention & manifestation" technique and the movie Jaane tu....ya jaane naa......later.....(its awesome.............must watch )......
Bye
Cheers
Shubham
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Me................on my way to the city:)
This was before the recent hair cut tragedy............Today I got 'em fixed.............will post a new one soon






